NEW STYLE: Uniqlo is collaborating with French style icon Inès de la Fressange on a capsule collection due to go on sale in early 2014, WWD has learned.
An announcement is expected Wednesday.
The collaboration would be the first step in relaunching the ready-to-wear division of her brand, following its purchase earlier this year by a group of private investors, in association with French venture capital and private equity firm Calao Finance and Dubai-based The Luxury Fund.
De la Fressange enjoys strong recognition worldwide as the brand ambassador for Roger Vivier and a face of L’Oréal Paris. She has also penned a best-selling style guide, “La Parisienne,” which is expected to provide the template for her future fashion efforts.
Fabrice Boé, chief executive officer of Inès de la Fressange, confirmed an unspecified announcement regarding the brand was due to be made today, but he declined to provide any additional information.
De la Fressange, who is creative director at large for the brand, said last month the company was looking for an rtw licensee and had appointed Fleur Demery, who previously worked with Vincent Darré, as head of design.
Inès de la Fressange has active licenses for shoes, eyewear, scarves, jewelry, home wares and stationery, which are mainly distributed in France. It is understood the Uniqlo collaboration will be separate from any future rtw licensing deal.
Uniqlo is no stranger to collaborations, having created lines with designers and brands including Jil Sander, Celia Birtwell, Laura Ashley, Orla Kiely, Suno and Lulu Guinness, in addition to personalities such as Novak Djokovic.